SLOANREVIEW.MIT.EDU FALL 2019 MIT SLOAN MANAGEMENT REVIEW 59
multipliereffectsina worldwherecustomersare
closelyconnected.^6 Forcompaniesthatembrace
variability,eventerribleexperiencesthatspawnneg-
ativeemotions—suchasthatlostpurseatDisney
World—areanopportunity.^7 If thecompanysur-
prisesanddelightsthecustomerbyefficientlyand
innovativelyresolvinghisorherproblem,thedomi-
nantemotion,theonethatlastsinmemory,willbe
positive.Themanagerialchallengeis clear:howto
infusecustomerjourneyswithemotion.
BuildingEmotionInto
CustomerExperiences
Bringingemotionintocustomerjourneysisn’teasy.
Triggeringa specificemotionata particulartouch
pointdoesn’tguaranteeanything.Instead,compa-
niesmustaddressthecustomerjourneyholistically,
understandingthatpeoplemayrememberemotions
generatedanywherealongtheway.Inmyworkover
thelastfewyears,I’veidentifiedfivewaystodothis.
1
Stimulate the senses. Sensory stimula-
tion triggers emotions such as surprise, trust,
joy, and even anticipation. Through products
from cars to smartphones, clever companies use the
senses to create emotional experiences.
At Ferrari, for example, automobile design is
more than an exercise in efficient engineering. It’s
also a process that taps into the driver’s senses to cre-
ate an emotionally rich experience, from the pleasing
sight of the car’s body to the exhilarating roar of the
engine.^8 Ferrari uses plush interior materials such as
fine leather, even though this gives lighter, faster
competitors a 5- to 10-kilogram advantage. The
company also experiments with advanced technol-
ogy, engine placement, tire dimensions, and the
nuances of wheel movement to impart a feeling of
control as you steer through tight corners or acceler-
ate laterally. Compared with the fear you might feel
in other sports cars as your back wheels fishtail,
there’s a sense of power and achievement here, of
believing that you are an exceptional driver steering
the car to new heights of performance.
The story of how Ferrari struggled to get the
sound right for its turbocharged 488 also illustrates
how much attention it pays to emotions. For years,
Ferrari worried that turbocharged engines, which
can flatten intake and exhaust sounds while intro-
ducing annoying tones such as whistling, would
detract from the pleasure of driving. At Ferrari,
sound is a critical component of what a car buyer
expects and enjoys. Indeed, there’s real evidence
that customers associate sound with performance.
Could Ferrari engineer turbo engines for an emo-
tionally pleasing driving experience?
Using a proprietary sound simulator, the equiva-
lent of three Ferrari engineers and drivers worked
full time for two years on the problem. One of the
team’s recommendations — increase the exhaust
diameter from 63 to 70 millimeters — had extensive
ripple effects for engineers and company managers.
Implementation was difficult and time-consuming.
That kind of investment might seem excessive at
other companies, but not at Ferrari, which places
great value on the emotions behind the driving ex-
perience. The 488 has garnered praise and prizes
for its sound and performance, winning the 2018
International Engine of the Year award in Stuttgart,
Germany (rival Porsche’s hometown), and being
hailed as Robb Report’s Car of the Year in 2016.
Ferraris may not be the fastest or the most comfort-
able cars, but the company focuses on producing
the best combination of the two, making their cars
among the world’s most thrilling and luxurious.
Stimulating the senses doesn’t mean creating sen-
sory overload. Some of the best examples of sensory
appeal are ones where complexity gives way to sim-
plicity. Apple products are known for this. From the
original Mac to AirPods and iPhones, the company
repeatedly hides cutting-edge technology behind aSameness is forgettable. But varied emotional journeys
can leave indelible memories, increase customer loyalty,
and have multiplier effects in a world where customers
are closely connected.